Thanksgiving 2016 at Home with Special Guests

We have spent the past three Thanksgivings in Opp with Joe and Judy.  We usually spend most of the week there camping at the state park near their home and watching Judy cook and then eating with them and their family until we can hold no more.  Due to their kitchen renovation they planned to spend the holiday with their son, Jody, and his family instead of hosting this year.  Although we have enjoyed the times we have had up there, I saw this as an excellent opportunity to invite my brother Len and his son Larson to join us at our home for Thanksgiving this year.

Larson

Len and Larson

To the best of our recollection, Len has not been here in as least twenty years; however, he was able to find the house with no difficulty.  Our nephew, Larson, is ten years old and is a really handsome young man.  In addition, to that he has a sweet personality and good manners.  What a delight to get to spend time with him!

Bubba pulled out our Big Easy Oil- Less Turkey Fryer and did a great job on the turkey.  Soon after he got the turkey started, it began to look like rain.  In fact there were even a few drops.  Bubba improvised a shelter to go over the fryer using a ladder and a piece of plywood.  Later when the rolls weren't rising fast enough, I added a shelf to put the rolls on. (It worked great!)  Once he got all this set up, the sun started shining again!

Bubba said, "Does this look junky?"

We enjoyed visiting while dinner was cooking.  It's not all about the food most of the time, but on Thanksgiving....it sorta' is.  We had turkey, dressing, gravy, cranberry sauce, sweet potato souffle, creamed corn, green beans and yeast rolls.  For dessert there was banana pudding, coconut cake and chocolate cake.

Beautiful Turkey

Carving and tasting!

We were going to take pictures after we ate,
 but we forgot all about it.

After we ate Bubba, Len and Larson went riding around to see some of the local changes over the past twenty years.  I stayed home and tended to the leftovers.  I prepared plates for Len and Larson to take back to their motel on Panama City Beach and made sure that they also had generous portions of dessert to eat on for a few days.

Bubba and I thoroughly enjoyed having Len and Larson with us.  We sometimes meet up at a restaurant for a meal, but this gave us time to really visit.  We are already hoping for another visit soon.

Amelia’s Birthday Number Nine

Our little girl is growing up so fast!  After making the quick trip for Amy’s birthday just a few days earlier, I was ready to let Bubba do the driving and I’ll admit that I slept most of the way back to Atlanta.  Amelia’s ninth birthday was going to be celebrated on her actual birthday, November 12, and we were going to attend the Veteran’s Day program at her school.

Amelia is in her second year of chorus at school.  The group has approximately 200 children who participate and they actually have to turn down applicants.  The choral director is a very talented man who has amazing control over such a big group.  We had a seat on the second row directly across from Amelia.  “The Star Spangled Banner”, “God Bless the USA” and a tribute to the different branches of the armed forces were the crowd favorites.  Amelia looked so proud when her Paw-Paw stood for the singing of “Anchors Aweigh” and I have to admit that I had tears in my eyes.

Big Chorus

Amelia smiles at us

After the program, Bubba and I stopped at a Steak and Shake  for a big breakfast.  Belk’s was having a sale and since I had a coupon to use, we went up the road to the local Belk’s so I could look around.  We were sitting at the traffic light where we turn left into the shopping center, when we were hit hard from behind.  Bubba got out and went to the car that hit us to help the older female driver out  She staggered some when she exited her car and Bubba asked if she needed an ambulance.  Her response was, “No, I’m drunk.”  He helped her sit down.  I had already called for help and it wasn’t too long before an officer responded.  I felt sorry for her.  She said that she had called her AA sponsor that morning, but apparently they had not advised her to stay off the road.  Our car was still in good enough shape to drive, but hers sustained too much damage and a wrecker was called to get it.  After conducting some sobriety tests, the officer placed her handcuffed in the back of his car.    I had texted Darryl and Amy to let them know that we had been in an accident and were doing all right.  Both offered to come to the scene, but we were doing fine.

Her car, Toyota Rav 4

Our car

Note:  I am writing this two weeks after this happened.  The first adjuster who called us told us to just sit tight and they would send someone to take pictures and do an estimate on damages.  After a week of waiting, I called and was told that was not the way it was supposed to be handled.  We carried it to the Hyundai dealer body repair shop where they took the pictures and worked up an estimate.  We are waiting now for a call telling us that the claim has been approved and parts have been ordered so we can take the car in for repairs and leave it.  We get a rental car to use for the approximate two weeks that they anticipate it will take to make the repairs.  In other words, we are unable to travel or make many plans until we get the car in the shop.

Amelia’s party on Saturday was a huge success. It was held at a place that provides rock climbing experiences.  I was surprised to see how much the children enjoyed this.  Out of the fourteen who attended, I did not see a single one who appeared timid about trying to climb the walls.  There was pizza and birthday cake after the climbing plus lots of presents to open.

Amelia is amazing!

Darryl gives it a try

Bat Girl - Super Hero Theme

I'm posing, not climbing

Bubba had to be called down.

Amelia got to pick where we  ate over the weekend.  She chose Five Guys on Friday night and Sunday for lunch she chose Mellow Mushroom.  Sunday afternoon we played board games with Amelia while Amy graded papers and did laundry upstairs.  That night we had pancakes and bacon for supper.  It was a fun birthday weekend (except for the accident) and we’re so glad we can celebrate Amelia’s birthday with her.

We're playing Clue, the Harry Potter version.

An Amelia Conversation Regarding Biology

Amelia:  "Nana, Do you know what the most important part of your body is?"

Nana:  "Your heart?"

Amelia:  "No, it's your butt!"

Nana:  "Why is that?"

Amelia:  "Number one it doesn't have very many bones to protect it.  If                           something happened to it, you couldn't pee or poop and you would                       explode and probably be dead!"


Moral:  Always protect your butt at all costs because you don't want to probably               be dead.

Amy’s Birthday Surprise

Sometime in October I got this crazy idea in my head that I wanted to show up and surprise Amy for her birthday which is November 3.  I couldn’t get it out of my mind even though I knew it wasn’t practical to drive up there and back and then turn around and drive up and back a few days later for Amelia’s birthday.  Somehow it didn’t seem right that I had not spent Amy’s birthday in a very long time.  After all, Amy is the child that believed in celebrating her birthday all week long.  After mulling it over for a while, I decided that I would text Darryl and see if he thought it was a bad idea.  He didn’t exactly answer my question (which is so like him) and I decided to go.  We didn’t communicate again until he sent me a text asking, “Should I expect you in two days?”  I replied, “Yes” and that was it.  I had my fingers crossed that he wouldn’t tell Amy.  He is known for having “loose lips”.

On Thursday, November 3, I left home around 6:00 AM.  I had an uneventful trip enjoying the ride and listening to a new book on the way.  About 6 ½ hours later, I arrived in the area of Amy’s high school.  I ate a late lunch and then located a Party City where I purchased a balloon bouquet and went into a Target store to get a Happy Birthday banner.  I located her car in the parking lot and tied the balloons to a windshield wiper and taped the banner on her windshield.  I put a container of coconut pie filling on the hood of the car.  (She always likes to eat the left over filling when I make coconut pie.)  The wind was blowing and I had two balloons pop pretty soon after I tied them to the car.

Some people thought we bought her a car for her birthday.
One man wanted to know what retirement plan we had
because he wanted to get it.

I backed into a parking spot across from her car and waited for her to come out.  I waited 1 ½ hours.  When she came out she didn’t see me and started taking the balloons off the car.  I got out and walked towards her.  “What are you doing here?”, she said and looked genuinely surprised.  I think she was pleased and surprised.

Amy coming out to her car

We went to Amelia’s school and she was also surprised.  We enjoyed a big group hug.

Amy selected a Mexican restaurant for her birthday dinner.  Afterwards we came home for cake and ice cream which Darryl had arranged for her.  She was  able to sit down and relax while I helped Amelia wash and dry her hair.

Mexican Restaurant

Happy Girls

Oreo Cake and it was so good!

On Friday I rested most of the day and then kept Amelia that evening for Amy and Darryl to go out to eat and to a movie.  Amelia and I went to Five Guys to eat and as we pulled into the subdivision afterwards, a deer ran in front of our car.  

Saturday I drove home listening to my book and enjoying the drive. Bubba had cooked fresh turnips and chicken and rice for our supper.  It was delicious!

I’m glad I did this and thankful for my safe trip.  I hope our girl realizes how much she is loved by her mom and dad.  She has brought us nothing but joy from the time she was born.  Happy Birthday, Amy!

Nine Months Old Chocolate Lover

And she always goes for the chocolate!

St. Andrews State Park Once Again

Just since 2011 when we bought our first trailer and started camping, it has become increasingly more difficult to get reservations at state parks (Florida especially).  Last year we camped at St. Andrews State Park the first weekend in November and enjoyed it very much so we made our reservation nearly a year in advance for this site on the water for the same weekend.

Our View

We enjoyed a few days at home after our trip to Lake Seminole and left after church on Sunday for a few days at St. Andrews.  Last year when we camped here, Bubba had good luck catching mullet right behind our campsite.  As we were getting set up this year, we could see and hear mullet jumping and he was eager for it to get a little darker to see if he could catch some.

Mullet Catching Outfit

We enjoyed time in our chairs reading and watching boats go by until it began to get dark.  Bubba got all geared up to wade out and catch fish but to no avail.  (We even brought grease for frying fish this time.)  Although he tried a couple of times, they just weren’t there in the water shallow enough for him to get them.

Waiting Patiently

We got all our lights set up this trip since it was not too windy.  We had one small group of trick or treaters on Halloween so Bubba had a bag of Snickers that he continues to enjoy.

All Aglow

I told Bubba he could be Fidel Castro for Halloween.

Bird Watching

Amy sent pictures of their Halloween.  It looks like super heroes are once again the thing.

Super Family

Bat Girl

Super Woman and Bat Girl

We enjoyed walking before breakfast each morning so we could see the deer that frequent the park.  Although we made our reservation for three nights, we only stayed two.  By the way the “no-see-ums” ate my legs up!  I don’t understand how something you can’t see can bite you and cause such itching.  

We always see deer here.

Just Chillin' at Lake Seminole

Our spontaneous trip to Seminole State Park was just about perfect.  The weather was cool in the mornings and evenings and the park was not crowded at all.

I realized soon after we arrived that for the first time ever, I didn’t think I had brought enough food for the four nights we would be staying.  I began to think of creative dishes I could make by shopping at the Dollar Store up the road.  (We said before we left that we didn’t want to leave the campground this trip and with the exception of one necessary trip to the nearby Dollar Store, we didn’t.)  I panicked too soon though.  I improvised by making one meal a baked potato with butter, cheese, and bacon bits and another meal breakfast for supper.  By doing that we used what we had.  It sure made unloading easier when we got home.

While at Joe and Judy’s we picked up about two-thirds of a bucket full of pecans.  We took them with us.  Bubba cracked and I shelled while we enjoyed the beautiful view of the lake.  (Didn’t have to worry about picking up pieces that dropped either!)  By the time we finished, we had two gallon bags of nice shelled pecans.  This was a fringe benefit from our time at the Work Camp.
We also took our hiking shoes and got some good walks in around the campground.  We read and watched tv in the evening.  It was very peaceful and very restful.

Our View

I heard from my brother while we were at Seminole that his cancer is back.  His insurance is through the “Affordable Care Act” which means he pays very high premiums and his out of pocket expenses are astronomical.  Because of this he has to wait until next year to have the necessary scans to find out what he is dealing with and what treatment will be required.  He got this news the night before his birthday.  I sent the following message to him in a Facebook post and I’m copying it here because this is a precious memory from our past.  He had not heard this story before.

A few weeks after you were born, Daddy was in a bad car accident. Some people came to the house to tell Mama and take her to the hospital. Some ladies stayed at the house with us. You woke up, started crying and one of them stood to go to your room. I stopped her saying, "I'll take care of him. He's MY brother." I lifted you from the crib and swayed back and forth with you in my arms whispering, "Everything is gonna' be all right. Everything is gonna' be all right." You settled down and went back to sleep. Soon our parents were back with us as Daddy's injuries were not serious.
All that to say I'm glad you showed up when you did. I loved taking care of you AND It took some of the focus off me!

Love and prayers for you little brother on your special day. "Everything is gonna' be all right."

Len and Me

Apples, Corn Maze and the October Visit

Introduction:  In an effort to keep this blog from being a recitation of what I do every day, I’m going to tell about the October Visit as the thoughts pop into my head. That could be dangerous considering that I sprayed hair spray all over a shirt last week instead of ”Shout.”

Amelia is always glad to see us.  Lots of hugs and kisses.

She still likes Chuck-E-Cheese although she didn’t want anything to eat.  She just wanted to play the games so Bubba and I ate pizza and watched her.

Playing games at Chuck-E-Cheese

The weather was cool and very pleasant.  We went to Jaemore Farms for their fall activities on Friday after Amelia and Amy had early release.  Being a fun Nana, I decided to do the corn maze with Amy and Amelia with Amelia holding the map and leading the way (Dora the Explorer).  Bubba sat comfortably under a shelter enjoying the cool fall breeze.

It didn't take Amy long to lose that sweater.

There is no cool breeze in a corn maze.  Nana began to sweat profusely.

Doesn't he look cool?

There are hills in the corn maze.

Amelia led us past the same white plastic spoon lying on the ground at least three times.

There was a bridge in the middle of the corn maze with at least a million steps going up.

Bubba called to see if we were almost done….we had no idea.

Amelia rode a pumpkin train three times.  Amy rode with her once.  Nana wasn’t fun anymore.

This was a rough ride, but fun.

Even Amy thinks it is fun.

She and Amy did duck races, petted animals and shot the apple cannon.  Nana was still trying to cool off.

They both got to shoot three times.

Amelia didn't like the loud noise.

Duck races

We got homemade ice cream.  Nana and Paw-Paw were both good at this.

We had fun!

I asked an older man on staff his favorite apple for just eating and he recommended Honey Crisp.  He was not wrong.  We bought a peck of them and are enjoying them immensely.

Darryl grilled steaks.  So good!

Amy and Darryl went out to eat and to a movie.  We had breakfast for supper at Cracker Barrel.  Pancakes and bacon is the one meal you can count on Amelia eating.  Popcorn and chocolate milk while watching two Spy Kids movies was a perfect ending to the day.

Amy and I got to go shopping and eat lunch together.  It was nice just visiting with my girl.

Darryl took Bubba and Amelia out to eat.

Amelia painted my finger nails purple.  She did a pretty good job and I'm starting to like them this color.

I think I like it.

Amelia said, “I must be getting short term memory loss.  I can’t remember my pre-school days.”

It was a long way home!

Bubba wanted to know if I wanted to go camping at Lake Seminole and I did.  So on Tuesday after getting home from Atlanta on Sunday, we ventured out for some relaxation by a peaceful lake.

Work Camp I and Work Camp II

So after a couple of years of indecision and analyzing the pros and cons, Joe and Judy have embarked on the great adventure known as remodeling.  Judy has wanted an updated kitchen for several years now and finally the actual work has begun.  The white cabinets have been ordered and the granite has been selected; however, like most home projects one thing leads to another.  By the time they’re finished they will have new cabinets, new appliances, new lighting, new doors, new walls and new flooring throughout the house.  Whew!! That tired me out just writing that!

When we got back from our trip to Atlanta in September we offered to help.  We loaded the camper with everything for a week’s stay except food.  (That would be like taking coals to Newcastle.)  We parked the trailer in their yard and promptly named our location the W_____ Work and Camp.

Site #1 at the Work and Camp

Step one of this project involved taking up some of their garage space and building a huge pantry with a door to enter at the end of where the new cabinets will be and at the edge of their current dining room.  The pantry will be approximately 14 feet square and will have cabinets and will also house two refrigerators and a freezer.  Joe and his friend, Jerry had already begun work when we arrived, but soon after we headed to Dothan to pick up supplies, look at flooring and eat supper.  We stayed in Lowe’s so long that at one point, I thought it was almost closing time.  (I was wrong, it just seemed that long.)  After shopping we ate barbecue at Full Moon in Dothan and headed back to Opp.  Needless to say this half of the family was ready for bed.

After that followed tearing down, rebuilding, installing sheet rock, wiring etc.  I helped Judy with wallpaper removal on the inside living/dining area. 

Joe and Bubba are looking for the perfect boards.

Where is Joe?  Bubba was left to push alone.

Brothers at work!

While there I received a call on my cell phone from an old/young friend from my days working at the prison. He is an assistant warden now but was a sergeant when I first knew him. He was always special to me and when we were in the mountains in August I learned that his father had died.  I bought a sympathy card and began googling his name to find an address to send him a sympathy card.  I found a YouTube video with his name and found him teaching a class at his church.  In it he confessed publicly his womanizing and his regrets for the people he hurt and his gratitude for the patience of God with him.  I was so moved by his message that I decided to call him.  My call to the prison where he works was forwarded to his cell phone.  I had to leave a message.  When he didn’t call right back, I put his card in the mail knowing that many people never check their messages.  He called me after about a month and had just checked his messages.  I got to tell him how moved I was by the video and how proud I was of the man he had become.  The next day I got the sweetest text from him saying how much talking to me had meant to him.   It meant a lot to me as well.

We arrived on Tuesday and went home the following Wednesday.  We attended church with Joe and Judy on Sunday and got home in time on Wednesday to cook something for our church’s Wednesday night supper.

Apparently being exposed to Joe and Judy’s boundless energy was contagious because Bubba trimmed the hedge, cut the grass and painted the eaves of the house.  I did a big shopping trip for groceries, visited my neighbor in the nursing home, washed a week’s worth of laundry, put up fall decorations and did a decent job of cleaning house. We attended Sunday School and church on Sunday and headed back for another stay at the W___ Work and Camp.

This second trip included a celebration of Judy’s birthday.  We went back to Dothan for more things needed from Lowes and I bought the cutest shoes I’ve ever owned.  Then we met their friends and our new friends Jerry and Theresa for a celebration meal at Texas Roadhouse Steak House. And a good time was had by all.

My cute shoes!

Pecans have started falling and we picked up a bucket full while there.  I was walking between the house and the trailer one afternoon and I spied a pecan laying on the pavement.   I leaned over to pick it up and just toppled right over.  I think if my head had been tucked just right it would have been a perfect somersault.  I scrapped my hands and arms and just sat there helpless unwilling to call for help because… how embarrassing that would have been.  Then Joe’s labradoodle, Aubie, walked over to  me and gave me a sympathetic look then he gave me the little bit of support I needed to get up.  I’ve been feeding him goodies ever since.  His new name is Aubie the Rescue Dog.

Aubie wants a bite of ham and he deserves it!

Making friends with our neighbor

While there I got a text from Amy saying that Amelia wanted to know when Nana and Paw-Paw were coming in October.  We hadn’t actually planned to go in October but we surely want to take advantage of her wanting us to come as long as it lasts.  We’re realistic enough to know that as she grows older she won’t have much time for Nana and Paw-Paw.  So… we got home on Saturday (camper too this time), attended church and two nights of a community wide revival and left for Atlanta on Thursday for our “October Visit”.